Re: Stopping for School Buses in Private Parking Lots
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TurboT8er
With that logic, driving past any stopped vehicle could yield the same results. If I'm 100% sure there are no children outside the bus and, like this morning, I'm moving very slow, then yes, I'm willing to take that risk.
So any stopped vehicle displays flashing red lights and extends a stop sign?
The indicators are used for a reason and are to be displayed only while loading or unloading students. If you’re in that big of a hurry, maybe try leaving earlier. The problem with going around a bus displaying the indicators is the children know traffic is supposed to stop when the lights are on. That makes them complacent and they often dash out into the traffic lanes without really looking.
rather than not complying with the lights, how about contacting the school and asking they don’t use the lights where they are not legally applicable. It would be safer for the kids.
Re: Stopping for School Buses in Private Parking Lots
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Taxing Matters
Two points on that. First, I used the term "parking lot" and I think you (and most people) readily know the difference between a street and a parking lot. :D An apartment complex parking lot (whether high rise or not) clearly does not fall within the statute. Second, the statute uses the term "highway" and highway as defined in the statute is limited to those roads/streets that are "publicly maintained." So a private road in a HOA that is maintained by the HOA (and thus not "publicly maintained") would also not fall within the statute. In some states the motor vehicle law definitions to do extend to private roads that are open to the public to use; your state might be one of them. But not all states are the same, and Tennessee has limited its definition to those roads that are publicly maintained.
So, in a suburban neighborhood (not an apartment complex) where the roads are maintained by an HOA, it would be acceptable for someone to pass a stopped school bus that was loading or unloading children?
That wouldn't be the case here.
Re: Stopping for School Buses in Private Parking Lots
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jk
So any stopped vehicle displays flashing red lights and extends a stop sign?
The indicators are used for a reason and are to be displayed only while loading or unloading students. If you’re in that big of a hurry, maybe try leaving earlier. The problem with going around a bus displaying the indicators is the children know traffic is supposed to stop when the lights are on. That makes them complacent and they often dash out into the traffic lanes without really looking.
rather than not complying with the lights, how about contacting the school and asking they don’t use the lights where they are not legally applicable. It would be safer for the kids.
I'm guessing you didn't see my comment where I explained my situation. This is something I will do my best to avoid, as I'm non-confrontational by nature. I just want to know my rights.
Re: Stopping for School Buses in Private Parking Lots
And your rights are more important that people's lives. I get it.
Re: Stopping for School Buses in Private Parking Lots
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TurboT8er
I'm guessing you didn't see my comment where I explained my situation. This is something I will do my best to avoid, as I'm non-confrontational by nature. I just want to know my rights.
You got the life commentary for free.
Regardless. If you hit a child, you will face the courts and given the flashy lights and stop sign were being displayed, even if ignoring them doesn’t result in a ticket, it will be the basis for proving your negligence and as such, a basis for whatever crime you are charged with.
Re: Stopping for School Buses in Private Parking Lots
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llworking
So, in a suburban neighborhood (not an apartment complex) where the roads are maintained by an HOA, it would be acceptable for someone to pass a stopped school bus that was loading or unloading children?
That wouldn't be the case here.
I wouldn't say acceptable. But as the state law is written in this instance, it would not be illegal to do it. The legislature failed to take that situation into account and it must be the legislature that fixes it if it wants that situation covered by the law. Other states do make traffic laws applicable to such roads, yours apparently one of them. But with 50 states each having their own laws, they aren't going all be the same. This is one illustration of that.
Re: Stopping for School Buses in Private Parking Lots
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cbg
In other words, if the law doesn't obligate you to stop, you're willing to risk hitting a child to avoid a short wait.
So are you trolling, or crazy?
Re: Stopping for School Buses in Private Parking Lots
Neither. Just responding to what he stated - that he would risk injuring a child as long as the law did not obligate him to stop.
Re: Stopping for School Buses in Private Parking Lots
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jk
You got the life commentary for free.
Regardless. If you hit a child, you will face the courts and given the flashy lights and stop sign were being displayed, even if ignoring them doesn’t result in a ticket, it will be the basis for proving your negligence and as such, a basis for whatever crime you are charged with.
There is that whole "yield to pedestrians" law that applies everywhere, which I am aware of. So in my mind, the school bus law seems redundant. So I'd imagine in the extremely unlikely case that a child materializes under my tire, I'd be charged for failing to yield to pedestrians rather than failing to stop for a school bus. That is, if the school bus law doesn't apply in private parking lots.
Re: Stopping for School Buses in Private Parking Lots
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TurboT8er
So in my mind, the school bus law seems redundant.
It isn't redundant. It is an added protection for kids in a high-risk area because school buses stop in places that aren't normally pedestrian areas.